


Safety Off

by GeckoBoy



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Bands, Depression, F/M, Inspired by Music, Magic, Mental Health Issues, Past Abuse, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Relationship(s), Recreational Drug Use, Sebastian is bad with feelings, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 08:14:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeckoBoy/pseuds/GeckoBoy
Summary: Salem discovers her way out of her rinse-and-repeat life in Zuzu city after years of convincing herself that she didn't need a change at the perfect time, and decides it's about time she packed her things and moved to Stardew Valley.  The last thing she expects is for life in the countryside to be more of a rollercoaster than her city life ever had been.Her escape comes at the cost of her fragile mental barriers, which come crumbling down much quicker than she ever expected when she meets a certain black-haired man with a love for music and motorcycles.
Relationships: Abigail/Maru (Stardew Valley), Past Sebastian/Abigail, Penny/Sam (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

Silent tears streamed down her face as she packed her car. Behind her, Joel’s shouting had blended into the background noise, but she didn’t want to hear what he was saying anyway. This would be the last time he pushed her around.

“Baby wait,” He spoke softly as his hand clasped around her wrist. Instinctually, she pulled back upon feeling his hands on her. “Don’t do this. Let’s just go inside and talk this through-”

“Fuck you,” She spat, unable to look the man in the eyes. She headed back into their small apartment and grabbed her guitar, the last of her belongings she had planned to take with her. “I’m done. I don’t need you. I don’t want to be with you. I don’t even want to look at you.”

If she had been naive enough to believe his façade before, the reveal of his true colors appeared with the change in his expression. Face hardening, Joel stepped in front of the door as she rushed for the exit, preventing her from leaving. With the last burst of courage that she could muster, Salem shoved the man aside and stormed toward her car. It was time to go. Getaway from the city, just put the car in drive and not stop running until she was long gone. Until it was safe.

Salem hadn’t told Joel about the letter. Deep down, she knew that her boyfriend of 5 years was bad news, even if she couldn’t admit it aloud. If he were to have known about the deed for Wytchbrook Farm, he’d have tried to weasel his way into her mind and plant the seed of an idea to sell the land so that he could take the money for himself. She wasn’t about to let that happen, and so she kept the sealed letter in her desk at work, where she knew he would never find it. Out of pure desperation to escape, she’d torn the letter open while at work the week previous. Within a few days, she’d called the number which her grandfather had left in the envelope, and told the man on the phone to expect her within the next fortnight.

“You’re being crazy,” Joel yelled as she slammed the driver's side door. “Where the hell are you gonna go? Your family would take my side anyway. You’ve got no friends. You’ll be back,” He reminded her with a cruel laugh. Salem stared at where her hands gripped the steering wheel and felt angry tears burn in her eyes. She wouldn’t let him see her cry. Not again.

“I’ll figure it out,” She muttered. Starting the car, she began to wind the window up. “Don’t follow me.”

***

The highway was quiet, but the sound of music blasting from the speakers in her car eased the anxiety Salem felt. Her hands still trembled with fear and anger as she drove, but the mileage between herself and Joel felt safe. It was only going to feel safer the further she drove from the city. She’d been on the road for two hours now, and the lush scenery was already a vast change to the grey concrete of Zuzu city. Stardew Valley was only a half-hour away now, and the scarcity of traffic on the road felt unusual by comparison to the rush hour traffic she usually drove in.

At least, that was until some asshole on a motorcycle cut her off.

“Shit!” She cursed as she quickly swerved out of the way of the rogue driver. Sure, the roads were empty, but that gave them no excuse to drive like a complete maniac. Pulling over to the side of the highway, Salem took a moment to calm her nerves. “Fucking bikers...” She muttered.

Spending a few minutes pulled over turned out to be precisely what she had needed. Now, without thinking, she turned her phone back on, only to be bombarded with notifications of missed calls and texts from Joel. Her stomach churned at the thought of him trying to find her. All Salem wanted was for him to leave her alone. She’d had enough of being used as eye candy turned punching bag. Hesitantly, she pulled the visor down and found the courage to take a look at her reflection.

A purple bruise had formed under her left eye and was severe enough to cause her eye to swell partially shut. Salem cringed at the look of the ugly mark, knowing that she should have been more careful. Joel had always had a bad temper and saying anything that he didn’t like often ended like this. In the 5 years they had been together, she had perfected the art of hiding the bruises with makeup, though she didn’t have nearly enough time to do anything about this one. She silently cursed the man; not even a half-hour away from meeting the residents of Pelican Town, her new home, and she already looked like a domestic abuse victim. She’d have to think of an excuse before she arrived.

Salem was at least thankful that the driver had now disappeared from the roads. When she felt calm enough, she started the car up again, ready to finally reach Pelican Town and have a fresh start to her new life. To ease the anxiety that had built in her chest, she sang along to the song playing from her car radio, the happy modern pop-punk beat lifting her spirits. With all of her troubles masked by the music, Salem turned the radio up and lost herself in the melody as she drove past the sign for Pelican Town.

She pulled into the clearing near an abandoned bus stop and took a deep breath. This was it. The sheer amount of green in the area was so overwhelming that Salem debating finding her sunglasses from the glove compartment to mute the colors a little. Only, she didn’t even have time to do that. Before she could even take the keys out of the ignition, a cheerful, fiery-haired woman tapped on the window. Salem felt herself jump at the sight of her, instinctually letting her long hair fall over her eye to hide her bruise, soon relaxing when she realized that it was very unlikely that anybody would try to rob her in such a small town. Especially not this woman.

“Welcome to Pelican Town!” The woman greeted cheerfully. Salem carefully climbed out of the car and gave her a nervous smile. “You must be Miss Brookes... I’m Robin, the town’s carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me to meet you here to make sure you didn’t get lost,”

Salem smiled slightly. She’s so friendly. She thought to herself. In the city, it was rare that you would even get to know your neighbors, but she guessed that here in the middle of the countryside, things would be very different. “Nice to meet you,” She greeted shyly, taking Robin’s extended hand to shake. “I’m Salem,”

Robin grinned. “I’m sure you’re going to be very happy here, Salem. It’s going to be a big change from the city,” She pointed out. Glancing over her shoulder, Robin nodded to herself. “I tell you what, I’ll go ahead and open the gate to the farm so you can pull the car in. Lewis is already there, getting everything sorted at the house for you,”

It wasn’t until Salem pulled the car into the field that her heart sank a little. The field she only vaguely remembered from her visits here as a child was a mess. Debris from the typhoons that passed through

this region filled the fields, and the land that she remembered to be filled with pumpkins was overgrown and filled with trees, weeds, and waist-high grass. What had she gotten herself into? This was a nightmare. It would take months, even years to get the farm back to its former glory. With a heavy sigh, she climbed out of the car and took another look around.

“Sure, it’s a lot when you look at it,” Robin started as she leaned against the car next to her. “But with a little dedication and hard work, you’ll have this place cleaned up in no time!”

Salem frowned, noticing the signpost which still stood by the side of the house. She felt her face soften as she approached it. The memory of herself and her older brother helping their grandfather paint the farm sign was the most vivid in her mind. She gently traced the dark letters and felt a small smile form on her face as she spotted the three crudely painted figures at the bottom of the sign. In the center, Salem had painted their grandfather, donning his signature straw hat and blue overalls, and either side, both of his grandchildren. A small laugh bubbled in her throat as she looked at the figure on the right. Jack must have been 15 at the time she’d painted this. His hair was long and fell over his face, much like a scruffy sheepdog, and he wore all black, except for his bright pink boots, which she had remembered painting just to ‘make him look more like a princess’.

“Your grandfather loved that sign,” An unfamiliar voice interrupted her thoughts. Turning to her left, a man wearing a bright green shirt and brown suspenders stood by Robin’s side. “Every winter he took it inside to keep the cold off it. He never wanted it to rot,”

Robin smiled softly. “I remember when he ordered it. Said it needed plenty of space for you kids to decorate it,”

A dull ache in her chest caused her smile to fall slightly. It had been almost 10 years since her grandfather had passed, and Salem remembered it like it was yesterday. At only 13 years old, she had not been allowed to attend the funeral. As a child, she had always been overly emotional, and her dad thought that the finality of a funeral would only upset her more. From what Jack had told her about it though, it was a beautiful service. She’d attended the wake afterward, where she had been surrounded by strangers who she didn’t recognize, and a few younger kids around her age too. For the most part, she had kept to herself, glued to her father’s side to avoid having to speak to anybody.

It was a week later that Jack had received his inheritance – an RV which their grandfather had always promised him so that he would be able to tour with his band, and a significant amount of money to get them started. Grandpa had always encouraged them to follow their dreams, and Salem knew that he’d be so proud of Jack’s achievements. He’d been away for the last 6 months on tour with the band in the very same RV, and she missed him a lot. He was living his dream, while she felt like she’d just walked from one nightmare to another.

Lewis and Robin left her alone to get settled after a while, and she got started on unpacking her car. It turns out, Robin’s description of the cabin was completely accurate. There were several holes in the roof, and one of the windows had been boarded up. Under it, Salem could just make out the tiny pieces of glass that must have come from the shattered window that caught the light. She sighed. Compared to her apartment in the city, this place was a hovel. Determined to make this place her home, however, she let out a calming breath and got to work cleaning.

***

Sebastian, Abigail, and Sam had been planning to spend a night out in the forest camping for months, but with Sebastian’s work schedule, and Abigail having to keep up with her studying, they hadn’t found the right time. Thankfully, the start of a new year and the emergence of spring offered them the perfect opportunity to get out there and have some fun.

On his way back into town, Seb had picked up some ‘party supplies’ for the three of them, and upon his arrival at the large tent that Abigail had borrowed from her dad, he dumped the bag into the center of it with a smile. Sam had managed to snag a few bottles of alcohol with his wages from the Joja mart, and even the small discount he got there helped in getting it all a little cheaper. The trio set up in the tent as the sun began to set, knowing the night was only just beginning.

“Seb, be honest,” Sam started as he took a hit from the joint they had been passing around. “How long has it been since you got laid?”

Sebastian coughed and spat his drink out, causing Abigail to howl with laughter. “Why did you ask me that while I was drinking?” He whined, wiping as much of the spilled alcohol off his jeans as he could.

“Just curious,” Sam shrugged. “It’s gotta have been a while, man. If we hardly see you then you’ve gotta be in a dry spell,”

Abigail plucked the joint from Sam’s fingers. “Leave him alone, Sam,” She warned, taking a hit smoothly. “He’s probably shy and doesn’t want to talk to you about it,”

“I’m not shy,” Seb protested. “It’s just a weird conversation to be having with you – probably the biggest virgin I know,”

Sam’s face turned an unnatural shade of pink at Sebastian’s words, and Abigail laughed again. “Not cool, man,”

“You know I’m right though. I thought you were with Penny anyway? That not gone anywhere yet?” Seeb asked him. Sam looked down into his half-empty cup.

“Of course it hasn’t. As nice as she is, I think the whole town knows she’s the type that’s insistent on waiting until marriage or some shit like that,” Abigail piped up. “But it isn’t that important, Sam. Don’t worry about it. Just because Seb has been a bit of a man whore, doesn’t mean you have to be too,”

Sebastian rolled his eyes as he snatched the joint back from Abigail. “I’m not a man whore,”

“Not anymore you’re not. That’s why you seem like a bigger virgin than I am at the moment,” Sam responded with a laugh. “C’mon, man. How long has it been? 6 months? You’re losing your touch,”

Sebastian paused. “Just over a year,” He replied quietly, taking a hit before speaking. “It’s just... I don’t have the time anymore,”

It wasn't a lie. The last time Sebastian had even been near any girl other than Abigail had been on a rough night out in Zuzu city for his birthday the year before. After way too much to drink, a few lines of cocaine for courage, and plenty of terrible dancing to awful music, he managed to leave the bar with her and spend the night at her apartment. It was only when he was awoken the following morning to her boyfriend throwing a shoe at his head and screaming at him to get out of his house that Sebastian vowed to never have another one-night-stand. Not that he ever told Sam or Abigail any of this. He was mortified enough knowing that two people had seen his bare ass, never mind how he would have felt if his two best friends knew the whole story and all of its gory details.

Abigail sighed. “Okay. This calls for an intervention,”

“What?” Seb looked up at his two friends, noticing the mischievous grins on each of their faces.

“This, my friend, is operation Dry Spell,” Sam announced. “We’re gonna help you get laid. We’ll be the ultimate wingmen,”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna need another joint,”


	2. Chapter 2 - A Fresh Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salem starts to settle into her new home and encounters a mysterious stranger on her trip to pick up supplies for her farm. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Sebastian's home life becomes a more dangerous ticking time bomb than it ever had been.

Salem was awoken the following morning by the shrill sound of her alarm. With a groan, she dismissed the infernal sound, turning back over and curling back up in the blankets. Why did she think that 6 am would be a good time to get started with her work? She must have hated herself last night. 

After an extra five minutes (which may have more realistically been a half-hour), she hauled herself out of bed and sleepily dragged her feet across the hardwood floor toward her makeshift kitchen. Breakfast was a must, and so was coffee. She popped a couple of slices of bread into the toaster and poured the contents of a sachet of instant latte into her favorite mug before rubbing her eyes. Left on the counter, was a short to-do list that she had written last night in her exhausting determination. There were only a handful of things to do, but each one would take at least an hour to complete. 

She ate her breakfast in front of the tv, only half-listening to the episode of the Queen of Sauce as she shoved half a slice of dry toast into her mouth. She made a mental note to pick up some butter from the store when she dropped by to pick up some seeds to get started on her farm work today. The dry toast wasn’t an ideal breakfast, but bread and coffee were all she had managed to salvage from the Joja mart on her way into town with the loose change in the pocket of her hoodie. Finishing her meager breakfast, she pulled herself up off the floor and turned the tv off before heading over to the suitcase which held her clothes. She desperately needed to buy a decent dresser – the one she had found in her farmhouse was falling to bits, and the handle to one of the drawers had simply popped off in her hand when she tried to put her clothes away. Instead, she decided to survive by living out of her suitcase until she could scrape together enough money to stop by Ikea and pick up a new one. 

She quickly dressed and put on a small amount of makeup. It was her first time showing her face in town, and she wanted to make at least some kind of positive impression on the locals. She took one last look in the mirror, content that there was just enough black eyeliner painted around her eyes to distract from the bags under them, before turning and heading outside. 

For early spring, the sun was surprisingly bright and warm on her face, and it was almost a relief to finally be rid of the cold winter chill that she had grown used to in the city. Her face soured at the sight of the mess in the fields surrounding her farmhouse – it would be a miracle if she ever managed to get even a small harvest ready for the end of Spring at this rate, but she was determined to try. Grabbing the tools her grandfather had always left in the chest by the front door, Salem got to work clearing a small area in front of the house near the pond so that she would have some room to plant her first lot of seeds. 

She almost regretted getting ready before messing around on the farm, as she was sure her eyeliner had smudged across her face already, but after glancing at the time on her phone, it was already too late for her to go back inside and fix it. Instead, Salem packed her tools up, picked up her backpack, and grabbed her skateboard from inside the house before heading toward the center of Pelican Town. 

She didn’t remember the town very well; most of her time spent here as a child had been on the farm or the beach, which was always way more exciting for a kid than the shops and houses that lined the town square. It was a quaint little town, with only a handful of buildings in sight, including the clinic and general store which she immediately skated toward. Last night, she had found a farming book which she remembered her Grandfather always working on, hidden in one of the drawers of her bedroom, and had flicked through it for some tips on how to make as much profit as possible in her first season. She was incredibly excited to get some blueberry bushes growing on the farm – partly because they would definitely sell well, and also because she craved fresh blueberries on pancakes. 

She hopped off her skateboard as the path turned to cobbles and shoved it under her arm as she headed toward the general store. By the look of it, the store had only just opened for the day. It was just as she remembered it to be; in the same condition and crumbling at the foundation, and with pieces of the roof falling off from the dramatic change in the weather over the winter. Even knowing there was a far more convenient Joja Mart just across the river, Salem decided that it was probably for the best that she supported the local business. After all, back in the days, her grandfather lived here, he would always shop at the general store and insist on taking herself and Jack so they could introduce themselves to the townspeople themselves. Pierre, who she hoped still owned the stored, would likely not recognize her now. The last time Salem and her older brother were here, she had been a child. A lot had changed since then - namely, plenty of tattoos and black hair dye. 

Walking back into the store brought back a flood of memories, and Salem had to take a moment to let everything sink in before she approached the counter. Standing with a wide smile on his face, stood Pierre; hardly any different after the 10 years that had passed, all that had changed on his kind face was a small number of wrinkles on his forehead and a couple of grey hairs which had not been there before. Time had done Pierre a lot of favors. For a start, the store looked much better stocked than Salem remembered, with a section for fresh fruits and vegetables, and even a small alcohol display behind the counter. Looking back at the residents of the town that she remembered, this made sense. A lot of the kids were around her age - it was likely the demand for alcohol and cigarettes boosted around five years ago. 

"Welcome to Pierre's!" The man greeted cheerfully. Salem gave him a small smile as she held her skateboard under her arm anxiously. "I never thought I'd see you back here again, Miss Brooks. You've grown up so much," 

Salem blushed faintly and looked at her feet. "It's nice to be back," She admitted. "It's just a shame it's under these circumstances," 

Pierre nodded solemnly. "It is," He agreed. "But it will be wonderful to see Wytchbrook back to its former glory again. I don't think I've been by in months, you must have your work cut out for you already," 

He wasn't exaggerating. After finishing her cleaning last night, Salem took a quiet walk around the areas of the farm that she could get to without having to cut down any trees or clear debris. It had been so long since anybody had given the place any love, that she was unsure that it was a job she could do all on her own. Regardless, she was determined enough to try at the very least. 

After a quick chat with Pierre and a significantly lighter purse, Salem took her shopping bags filled with seeds and fertilizer and headed out of the door. Only half paying attention to her surroundings, she turned after closing the door behind her and walked straight into a solid shape in front of her. With a thud, her bags dropped to the ground, scattering the seeds and cardboard containers of fertilizer all over the cobble path. Salem cursed under her breath, kneeling to gather her things back up. 

"I'm so sorry," She muttered, reaching to grab the last few packs of seeds that were just out of her reach. A pale hand reached down and picked them up before she had the chance. Salem's gaze drifted up to the mysterious stranger's face. His face held no expression, yet there was something there that told her that behind that stoic look, was an encyclopedia filled with secrets. His dark hair fell over his left eye, and in one hand, he held a cigarette between his fingers.   
"My fault," The stranger admitted, carefully handing the seeds back to her. "Did anything get broken?"

Salem shook her head as she carefully packed the bags back up. "No. I only came here to buy farming supplies. At least I didn't cave at the sight of the bottle of vodka that caught my eye, then I would have been pissed,"   
The stranger laughed slightly, carefully holding out his now free hand to help her up. Salem took it with an awkward smile. "I'm Sebastian," 

"Salem," She greeted in response. She took his hand and carefully got back to her feet, dusting off her jeans. After a moment, she paused. "Wait... Sebastian?"

Sebastian froze, looking confused. "Yeah... Something wrong with my name or something?" He asked. Salem simply shook her head and felt a smile creep onto her face. 

"I remember you now... My grandpa used to own the farm... I stayed here with my brother in the summertime. You had red hair back then," She reminisced. Sebastian's face turned a little pink as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn't think you still lived here," 

"It's hard to get away," He told her simply. "It was nice seeing you again. I've gotta go, I have some work to do later," He told her with a small nod, before walking into the store. Salem blinked, confused at the man's abrupt escape from their conversation. Maybe she'd said something to offend him.

Instead of dwelling on their awkward encounter in the square any longer, Salem headed back to the farm with her supplies and spent the following 4 hours clearing debris, preparing the soil, and planting her new crops. She didn't have much to plant, especially since she had to be careful with her money for the first week or so, but with the few rows of freshly planted crops stood proudly in front of her new home, she felt a satisfying sense of achievement. Maybe this whole farming thing wouldn't be too much different from what she was used to after all. 

***

Sebastian couldn't believe the farmer had recognized him, after all those years. Once he returned home after their run-in at Pierre's, his first instinct was to hide away in his room until the embarrassment just melted away. Sadly, this happened way too regularly for him to even hope this would be the case. He slumped back into his chair at his desk and dropped his fresh pack of cigarettes down next to the keyboard, along with the sickly sweet energy drink he'd picked up in the store to keep him going for the day. 

The green coding on his computer screen made his stomach drop. Of course, this couldn't just be an easy job for once - his client had to ask him to fix the most complicated section of coding he'd ever experienced, and for only a fraction of the money that he'd have been paid if he were to work for a big company in the city. Sebastian sighed, defeated. This had been his third job of the week. Usually, he wouldn't complain to so much work, but there was just something that nagged at him to take a break, even though he knew he couldn't afford to at all. His rent was due the following week, Sam and Abigail had planned to go to a gig in the city in two days, and he had a lot of saving to do for his friend's birthdays this year. If he ever wanted to get out of the Valley and move to the city, he would have to work double-time for the next 3 years. 

He sipped his drink slowly as he began to work on the code again. Usually, a fresh mind was all he needed to be able to concentrate and start seeing the mistakes a lot easier. Time seemed to blur together as he worked, almost like the hours were only minutes, and before he knew it, it was time to head upstairs to get some food (as his grumbling stomach kindly reminded him in the middle of one fix). Leaving his computer for the first time in hours, Sebastian stretched and began to head up the wooden stairs to the kitchen, where he found his family all sat around the table. 

"Nice of you to join us," Maru commented as she pushed her food around the plate. Sebastian rolled his eyes, dropping into a seat on the opposite side of the table. 

"Hungry sweetie?" Robin asked. Sebastian just shrugged, taking small bites of his food as the rest of his family began to finish their meals. "You really should get outside more, Sebby. You're so pale-" 

"He's a vampire," Maru teased. "He lives in a basement, he doesn't sleep, I'm pretty sure he would try to eat someone-"

"Shut up," He muttered into a forkful of potatoes. "And I have been outside today, actually," 

Robin's expression changed to one of surprise. "You have?"

Sebastian nodded. "I ran into the new farmer on the way to Pierre's earlier. She dropped all of her things," 

Demetrius rolled his eyes. "I hope you helped her pick it up if you caused her to drop everything," 

Sebastian didn't even try to dignify the man with a response. When he was a kid, Demetrius had been everything he could have ever wanted in a father figure - someone there to teach him what he knew, support him, take him places when he wanted to go outside. When his sister was born, however, things changed. Maru had never got into trouble for anything in her life, even when she was in the wrong. As the older sibling and the kid who's dad never thought to stick around, Sebastian had almost always got the blame for his sister's wrong-doings. It had started to get to him the older the siblings got. Maru was an adult now; it was about time she started taking responsibility for the shit she got herself into, in his opinion anyway. 

"I've got work to do," He excused himself after a few minutes, even after only finishing a few mouthfuls of his food. In the corner of his eye, Sebastian saw his mother's face fall slightly at the amount of food left on his plate. 

"You mean you have video games to play while we all go to work," Demetrius commented. Sebastian gritted his teeth. He knew he shouldn't rise to anything his step-father said to him, but it was getting more difficult with every passing day. "Don't worry, Seb. I'm sure your mother doesn't mind that you'll be living here until you're forty,"

Sebastian didn't stick around to hear another word. Instead, he grabbed his jacket and cigarettes and headed straight out of the front door, unlocked the garage, and hopped on his bike. 

It was time he got himself some of the illegal kind of medicine he relied on so heavily.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian meets with his dealer to escape from problems at home, and battles with his self-destructive thoughts. 
> 
> Salem speaks with her brother and finally makes some friends in town after weeks of living in her new home.

It wasn't a long drive to meet his dealer, but Sebastian took the longest route he could to get there, just to prolong the time he had outside of the house. Any time away from Demetrius today was better than nothing - the man was just testing his patience, and Sebastian was running out quicker than he expected.

Demetrius hadn't always been the snide, unappeased asshole he'd turned into. As a kid, Sebastian had fond memories of working with his step-father in the lab, coming home from school to bring him pictures he'd drawn of their little family, being taken to the park every Friday... But now, Demetrius had something against him that he could just not put his finger on. It always seemed like he could never do any right, no matter how hard he tried. Everything he accomplished was always beaten down by a story Maru had told earlier which always seemed to be more impressive to both his mother and Demetrius. It had always made him feel so fucking worthless; like nothing that he ever could have done would be more important than his sister. 

The anger continued to bubble inside him as he drove down the long country lanes toward the place he usually fled to after a row with his family. It was only when he arrived that he finally felt calm enough to breathe normally again. For a while, he just sat on his bike, taking deep breaths and grounding himself back to reality after letting his frustration boil a little too long on the drive over. Eventually, Sebastian took off his helmet and took a look around the clearing surrounding him. Directly in front of him, lay the sight that he had longed to be a part of for his whole life - Zuzu City, in all it's neon glory. The distant glow left a dull ache in his chest, longing for the one place in the world he wanted to be. Anything would have been better than Pelican Town. Anything. 

He perched himself on the ledge looking out to the city with his legs dangling over the straight drop to the bottom of the valley floor. Sebastian wasn't scared of heights; he liked to think he wasn't afraid of anything, though for him to say that would be a complete lie. It wasn't ever the height that scared him but knowing how easy it would be to take the leap from this ledge and not have any of his Earthly worries left. As the thought came to mind as it had so many times before, he dismissed it. It had been 4 years since he last took those thoughts seriously, and he wanted to keep those self-destructive thoughts as far away from the forefront of his mind as possible. 

Removing him from his thoughts, came slow footsteps on the gravel behind him. Sebastian looked back, away from the view of the city, and toward the source of the crunching sound. His dealer, Jesse, stood with his arms folded across his chest, dreadlocks swept back under a green beanie, and a smirk on his face as he watched him. He wasn't an intimidating man at all - hell, Sebastian was close enough with him that he could call him a friend at this point. Standing up again, he walked over with an awkward smile on his face to greet the man. 

"Sounds like you need this shit way more than I do right now, man," Jesse commented as he pulled Sebastian into a one-armed hug. It always felt a little awkward when he greeted him this way; Sebastian wasn't the type of person who particularly liked hugs, or, he just didn't like his personal space invaded by someone he didn't completely trust. "Gonna tell me what's up while I weigh it out for you?"

Sebastian let out a soft sigh and followed Jesse back to his truck. "Family shit again," He told him simply. "I know it's weird me being 26 and still living in my mom's basement, but come on. Does that asshole have to make comments like this every time we try to be civil?" He spat, not holding back his emotions. 

Jesse winced. "By the way you speak about him, it seems to me like you'd be better off getting your ass out of the valley as soon as you can," He pulled a small scale from a black case out of the door of the truck and balanced it delicately on the hood of the car before beginning to weigh out the goods. "If you ever need it, you're welcome to come and stay at my place for a week until they all calm down. Or if you're still thinking of moving to the city, stay until you're on your feet and I'll put you up," 

Sebastian was a little taken aback by the gesture. Jesse had always been somebody he could rely on, sure, but that was always for drugs, nothing else. "You don't have to do that," He insisted. 

"Hey. If you need it, just gimme a call. The offer still stands," Jesse responded. He sealed the bag and held it out to Sebastian nonchalantly. "An' it will until I know you're sorted. We look out for our own in the city. An' you're my own after all these years man," 

Sebastian gave him a small smile as he took the cash out of his jeans and handed it over. "I appreciate it," He watched as Jesse counted the money and looked back to him to give him one of his signature smiles. "Thanks for sorting me out on such short notice," 

Jesse simply climbed back into his truck and let out a soft chuckle. "Anytime. Get back to Bumfuck Nowhere in one piece won't ya? You're my best customer," 

With a roll of his eyes and a light laugh, Sebastian nodded, and before he could properly say goodbye, the truck had sped away, the sound of a distinctly familiar song blasting from the open windows as the dealer drove away onto the highway. Left alone to his thoughts once more, and nothing but the distant sound of engines and nightlife from the city, Sebastian sighed. With enough weed in his pocket to last him the week at the very least, he dragged himself back to his bike and climbed back onto the seat before lighting a cigarette to smoke before he headed back home. 

That is if he ever felt like going back at all. 

*** 

"So let's get this straight," Jack started as he rested his chin on his fist on the screen in front of her. "You leave Joel like I said you should have done years ago, by the way, quit your job, then up and move to Stardew Valley without telling me or Dad?" 

"Yes, yes and yes," Salem responded, sipping her coffee. "I didn't tell you about Joel because you're on tour, and knowing you and your short temper, you'd drive the RV to Zuzu and burn down his apartment at 3 am. I didn't see any point in sticking around in the city anymore, especially since you're always away and I hated my job with a burning fiery passion. At least I'm telling you now," 

Jack sighed. "I wish you'd told me earlier. I could have helped you move your stuff at least," 

Salem smiled into her drink. This had been the first time she had spoken to her brother in nearly a month. With everything happening in such a short space of time, she hadn't had time to call him as often as usual. Right now, Jack was on tour with his band, and wouldn't be back home for another 4 months, so video calls and speaking on the phone was the only contact they would have until he had time to visit. The siblings had always been close and hardly ever argued, so the band touring always left Salem with an empty void in her life for months at a time. 

Being back at Wytchbrook brought back so many memories of their childhood staying here. It just made Salem miss her brother more. She'd give anything for him to be here, even just for moral support as she tried to survive, never mind bringing the farm back to its former glory. Finishing her coffee, she sat back against the wall and sighed. 

"It doesn't feel right being here on my own," She admitted. Jack's eyes softened through the pixels. "The sign we painted is still here. It's not right without you," 

"I miss you too, kid," He sighed. "You'd better not be recording this, or I'll shit in all of your left shoes," 

Salem laughed. "You're gross,"

"And you're ugly,"

"Must have got it from you," Salem retorted. Jack chuckled. "Promise you'll come and visit when you finish the tour?" 

"Of course I will. I'll come and stay for a while and you can teach me how to live on the land like grandpa did," He promised. "But for now, I've gotta travel and play my shitty pop-punk songs and video call you to make sure you haven't burned down the family farm, okay?" 

"Okay..." Salem nodded. "Enjoy the show tonight, rockstar. I've gotta go and water my crops," 

Jack chuckled. In the background of the call, Salem could just make out the others playing a drinking game at the small table, who took notice of her face on Jack's screen and began waving and shouting to her. "Enjoy your dirt and leaves. I'll go tame the livestock," Salem laughed again and waved goodbye to her brother and his bandmates before ending the call. 

Instead of getting straight up, she took a moment to herself, just staring at the blank screen of her laptop, fighting the tears from spilling from her eyes and ruining her makeup. Letting her head tip back and resting it on the wall behind her, she took a shaky breath to compose herself, and then carefully got to her feet again. 

Today, she planned to drop by the Saloon for a drink and hoped to get to know a few more people from the town. It had been a couple of weeks since she moved in, and so far, all she had done was tend to her crops and occasionally skate into town and buy more supplies. She thought back to all of the faces of those she had met so far - Pierre, who was always so friendly, his wife Caroline, and their daughter Abigail, who she saw occasionally working in the general store with her dad. Their family was sweet, but it was clear that there was more to them than she initially thought. Salem didn't want to pry, and she didn't plan to.

She thought about Robin and her family too. She had met Robin's husband Demetrius by the lake one evening while she was out foraging, and discovered that he was a scientist. Their daughter Maru worked in the clinic and was very enthusiastic about meeting her when they bumped into each other in town earlier that week. Salem knew that Sebastian was Robin's eldest, but thinking about it, not once had she seen the whole family together. Perhaps they had their secrets too. 

Deciding to stop procrastinating her plans, Salem changed out of her favourite comfort hoodie and into a pair of ripped jeans and one of Jack's band shirts which she had been given for free from the merch tents at the first show she saw. It didn't take long for her to get ready to leave; after all, most of her clothes looked the same anyway, and she only had two pairs of shoes unpacked. Salem pulled on her battered converse and grabbed her skateboard on her way out. 

Pelican town looked different at night. The street lamps were old fashioned and gave the town a pretty glow which almost seemed like she had walked into a storybook. The Saloon was lit the brightest, and she felt immediately drawn to the glow of the sign at the front. Inside was warm and cozy, and she was immediately greeted by a blue-haired woman behind the bar, polishing a wine glass. 

"Hello stranger," She called. "I haven't seen you around before. I'm Emily," She greeted with a wide smile. Salem approached the bar, unable to resist taking a look around the Saloon as she stepped forward. 

"Salem," She introduced herself simply. Emily grinned and leaned against the bar. 

"I take it you're the new farmer in town. All that work must make you pretty thirsty. What can I get you?"

It was only as she ordered herself a beer that she noticed the pool table on the other side of the bar. Around it, was a selection of games machines, and a comfortable-looking blue sofa, and a soft red armchair. Sat on the sofa, was a familiar face - Abigail, playing on her phone and not paying much attention, occasionally blowing a piece of purple hair out of her eyes. A blonde-haired man stood leaning on a pool cue next to her, looking frustrated as he gazed at the pool table, cursing under his breath as he contemplated his next move. 

And just as she thought she'd seen enough familiar faces, Sebastian appeared from around the corner, having just potted his last ball. 

His black hair was swept over his eyes in a way that Salem couldn't help but wonder how he could even see what he was doing, and he had rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie to reveal the black lines of a tattoo on his left arm. She paid for her drink and hesitantly walked toward the trio, not wanting to intrude. It was Sebastian who spotted her first, giving her a confused look, before an almost unnoticeable smile appeared on his face. 

"Salem!" Abigail's voice called. "Come and have a seat. It's a tradition on Fridays for Seb to beat Sam at pool," 

Doing as she was asked, Salem took a seat in the armchair and sipped her beer. "He beats him every week?" She asked. 

"Every week for 10 years," Sebastian boasted. "Except the one time he cheated," 

"I did not cheat." Sam insisted, pushing his blonde hair out of his face. "Don't listen to him, he's an alien," Salem laughed a little.

"These idiots are Sam and Sebastian. I don't think you've met yet," Abigail introduced them happily. "Sam is a dork, and Seb is a vampire-"

"Just because I live in a basement, doesn't mean I drink blood Abi," Sebastian defended. He glanced at Salem. "I didn't think you had time to come out drinking," 

Salem shrugged a little. This was the most she had heard him speak willingly. "I needed alcohol before I had a breakdown in that farmhouse on my own," She joked. "And I've already got through my stash of booze so..." 

Sam let out a laugh and picked his beer up from the table next to the chairs. "It's great to finally meet you Salem. I've heard a lot about you," 

"All bad I hope," She joked again. It felt awkward speaking to people who were still pretty much strangers to her, but she battled through her overthinking mind and ignored the voice in her head that told her she was making herself look stupid. "Sorry for barging in without an invitation," 

"Don't be silly," Abi waved her hand dismissively. "It's nice to have some female company for a change," 

The beers went down way too easily as Salem got more comfortable, and for the first time since she arrived in the valley, she felt at home around the strange residents of Pelican Town. Abigail gossiped about the other girls in the town the second Sam reset the pool table, and the two laughed among themselves until the next game finished. Sam made conversation with Salem about her skateboard and bought another round of drinks. 

And Sebastian stayed quiet and contemplative; watching her as he sipped his drink while leaning on the pool table and not adding much to the conversation - forever mysterious. A mystery Salem was determined to crack.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian battles with his anxiety and finds comfort in the old, reliable music. 
> 
> Salem attends her first egg festival and mingles with the locals.

He couldn't stop staring.

Salem's laugh filled the bar and it was all he could focus on. Damn, he almost lost the second game of pool with Sam because he was having so much trouble paying attention to anything else.

Mentally, Sebastian kicked himself. He didn't know this girl at all, yet it felt like they had always known one another. She spoke to him as though they had always been friends, laughed at his jokes and sarcastic comments, looked him in the eye, and paid attention to what he was saying. The alcohol didn't help his situation; with his thoughts so clouded, there was no way he could shift his attention from her. He just hoped with every fiber of his being that his friends didn't notice. He knew deep down he was being creepy, but there was something about this farmer that was different - different to anybody who had ever moved to Pelican Town before. It was a breath of fresh air.

When he returned home that night, Sebastian did nothing but pace around his bedroom for the first twenty minutes, debating whether the ache in his chest was worth worrying about. It felt like his heart was beating a mile a minute, refusing to take a moment to let his breath catch up. At first, he thought he was having a heart attack. With weak legs, Sebastian stumbled into his bathroom and slumped back against the door to the comfort of that familiar tiled floor. His breath was heavy and fast like he'd just ran a marathon, but he had never been this out of breath walking up the mountain path from the Saloon before. Everything was too hot. Instinctually, he shrugged off his hoodie, jeans, and shirt, throwing them in the general direction of the laundry basket, and lay down on the tiles.

His thoughts spiraled out of control as he pictured every possible situation that could come from this. What if she found out? What if she didn't feel the same and thought he was weird? What if his friends mocked him for having feelings so fast and decided they never wanted to speak to him again? No. That was unrealistic. Sam would bug him about tonight for the next decade at least, insisting that something had to be done about it. Abigail would be jealous initially - she always was when another girl was brought up in their little group. It was always like she felt that she was about to be replaced, even though that wasn't the case at all. She'd still probably stop speaking to him for a few days at least. Why was his life so fucked up all the time?

His day had already started shitty with his argument with Demetrius, but the sudden dark cloud completely smothered his judgment. Nothing was going to go right for him. He'd be stuck in this basement for the rest of his life, in an awful country town with no achievable aspirations and no change. The glow of Zuzu city would forever be too far away for him to reach, and although he didn't want to believe it, that's just how it would always be. Sebastian blinked up at the ceiling as he felt a tear fall from the corner of his left eye, the pain in his chest now feeling more like someone was standing straight on his sternum. This could have been it. He was dying, and the last thing he would see was the bright glow of the ceiling light in his bathroom. Robin would come down in the morning and find him lying on the tiled floor, cold and blue-lipped.

It was as he lay there on the floor, believing that he was dying, that Sebastian realized what had happened to him. He was having a panic attack. It eased slowly, like a bruise healing over time. The ache in his chest dulled until it was finally gone completely, and he found the strength to pick himself up from the floor and pull on a pair of sweatpants. Eventually, his movements returned to their usual speed, and after all that had just happened, he was back to being... Just fine. As he should have been.

"What the fuck..." Sebastian muttered to himself as he pulled his black hair back out of his face and paced back into his bedroom to take a seat on his bed. It had been so long since he'd had a panic attack that it was a complete shock to him that it could have even happened again. He took a deep breath, eyeing the keyboard and guitar that had been haphazardly placed in the corner of his room after band practice earlier in the week. Maybe that was what he needed.

He pulled on a hoodie from his wardrobe - his favorite purple one with the holes in the sleeves which he poked his thumbs through - and grabbed his acoustic guitar from its stand, then very quietly headed up the stairs and outside, being extra careful not to step on any creaky floorboards and wake anybody in the process. It wasn't unusual for Sebastian to sneak out at this time of night - actually, it was pretty early for him to have a midnight mental breakdown, but tonight was a special occasion.

Walking to the lake, he sat cross-legged by the bank, resting the body of his guitar on his knee as he gently plucked the strings and tuned them correctly. It wasn't very often that Sebastian played the guitar. His role in the band that he, Sam, and Abigail had formed was playing the keyboard. Sure, he was good at what he did, but it wasn't what he would have chosen had he the choice himself. Tonight though, Sam wasn't around to show him up with his natural talent. He closed his eyes as he gently plucked the strings, and played a few different melodies that he had been tinkering with on his keyboard. Slowly, he built up from the melody and began gently strumming chords that matched, and just let the music pour from his heart. The words came from nowhere. 

_What have I gotten into this time around?_

_I know that I had sworn I'd never trust anyone again but I didn't have to._

_You had me at hello._

He let the words pour out along with the gentle sound of the strings, keeping his eyes closed as he lost himself completely in the music. He thought back to accidentally walking into her on his way into Pierre's, the way she had awkwardly shuffled across the bar to sit with them earlier that night. The smile she sent his way as they parted ways outside the Saloon.

_I've never seen a smile that can light the room like yours It's simply radiant,_

_I feel more with every day that goes by I watch the clock to make my timing just right_

_Would it be okay?_

_Would it be okay if I took your breath away?_

"That's pretty,"

Sebastian jumped and dropped his guitar pick into the grass in front of him as the voice appeared from nowhere. His head snapped around to find the source, only to feel his stomach drop at the sight of Salem stood behind him. She looked exhausted and was covered in dirt, with her backpack slung over her back. It seemed like she had been heading back from the mines when she had heard him playing, and decided to stop. Embarrassment flooded his entire being as he carefully moved to set his guitar down, the feeling of blood rushing to his face at the thought of someone other than Sam hearing him sing making his stomach churn. 

"How long have you been there?" He asked snappily. Salem's eyes widened slightly, and Sebastian shook his head, sighing. "Sorry... I just... thought there was nobody around tonight, that's all," 

After a moment of hesitation, Salem set her bag down on the grass next to him and took a seat. From the opening, several gems tumbled out, scattering on the ground between them. "Sorry to have intruded," She muttered. "I just... couldn't sleep so I figured I'd do something useful... The mines seemed like the right place to be tonight I guess," 

Sebastian felt himself relax slightly as he glanced down at the contents of her backpack. "I hope you're being careful down there," He muttered. "I can't count the number of times that Abigail has ended up in the clinic after someone has found her passed out and covered in dirt and slime. The mines aren't safe, Salem," 

Salem rolled her eyes and laughed quietly. "You sound like my brother. He worries too much too, y' know. I'm a big girl though, I can take care of myself," She assured him, gently nudging his arm with her elbow. Sebastian felt a small smile appear on his face. "So I was wondering... I got a letter about an egg festival in the mail today... Anything I need to know before I turn up?"

With a sigh, Sebastian crossed his legs and set his guitar aside, taking out a cigarette from his half-empty pack and lighting it. "It's a stupid Easter thing we do every year. There's an egg hunt, but Abigail wins every year without fail, and Pierre sells some different stuff to what he usually does in the store. I only go for free food, to be honest. I hate eggs," He admitted. 

Salem chuckled and, to Sebastian's surprise, pulled out her own pack of cigarettes and lit one. "Free food is my incentive then. I don't even have a kitchen in the farmhouse yet. I've lived on toast and granola bars for the last 2 weeks," She admitted. Sebastian winced at the thought. Sure, he wasn't the biggest fan of Demetrius' cooking at home, but at least he got a meal out of putting up with the man. "There's no way I can afford one of your mum's upgrades yet though... I can barely afford to buy more seeds for the farm and keep myself fed at the moment,"

After a short pause in the conversation, Sebastian spoke up again. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," She joked. He rolled his eyes. "Okay, shoot," 

"Why did you choose to move all the way out here? I mean... You lived in the city, right? Surely there was so much more for you there than you could find in this burning pile of trash we call a town..." He asked, picking at the grass by his side as he took a drag of his cigarette. 

Salem let out a deep sigh. "I needed a change," She said simply. "I used to visit the farm with Jack as a kid in the summer. It's always been near and dear to my heart I suppose. I was in a dead-end job working for Joja, stuck in an abusive relationship, bad relationship with my parents... It just made sense to up and leave. I didn't even realize that my grandpa had left this place to me until I found a letter on my desk at work. It was stuck in the back of a book he'd given me just before he died. It turns out the old man was some kind of psychic; he knew exactly what I needed to get out of that hellhole,"

Sebastian felt his eyes soften as he listened to Salem speak. She had a sad look in her eyes, but there was hope under all of the sorrow she was clearly feeling. Here he was feeling sorry for himself, while other people in this town had much worse things to be worrying about. Something ate at him as they sat and smoked - this abusive ex. He'd noticed the extra makeup she'd work when they had first met, but thought nothing about it until now. Had things been that bad? Was she truly safe now, or was the thought of him finding her something that kept her awake at night? The thought that she would lose sleep over an asshole like that made him grit his teeth unconsciously. 

"I'm sorry you went through all that," He told her sincerely. "I don't mean to pry... But-"

"He's out of the picture now if that's what you want to know," She interrupted. "I left him at our old apartment, took the car and all my stuff, and drove straight here. I don't plan on going back after everything he did," 

Sebastian simply nodded, understanding that Salem probably didn't want to talk about her past with a stranger. "So... Are you coming to the egg festival tomorrow?" He asked.

She nodded. "Why not. Free food, right?" Sebastian smiled slightly. "Y'know, you should smile more," 

"Why?"

"It suits you,"

  
*** 

  
The next morning, Salem woke to the sound of her alarm and leaped out of bed with more energy than she had since she first arrived in Pelican Town. Flicking on the lamp next to her bed, she stretched and began getting ready to start the day. After dressing into her farm clothes quickly, she headed outside to harvest her crops and plant the seeds she had preemptively purchased from Pierre the day before, knowing the store would be closed for the festival. After a couple of hours, the farm looked neat, and she headed back inside to shower and get ready to head into town for the festival.

In all honesty, she had no idea what to expect. She had a distant memory of the egg festival as a kid - that was before she started school though, so things could have changed completely since she was last here in the Spring. After dressing and drying her hair, she packed her meager amount of gold into her bag and put on some makeup. After speaking with Sebastian last night, she was hopeful that there would be enough food there to keep her fed for the day, especially since her fridge was looking scarily empty with an exception of a small carton of milk and half a block of cheese. 

Salem placed her meager amount of gold into her backpack and put on some makeup, and with one last look at herself in the mirror, decided it was time to go. The festival would be starting soon anyway, and the last thing she wanted was to make a late appearance. She strolled down the path on the way into town and smiled as the spring breeze brushed against her face. Today would be a good day, as long as she got something to eat soon that is. 

The town square looked beautiful as she arrived. Banners and bunting had been hung from the streetlamps and buildings, and there was a huge buffet table set up on the courtyard, filled with delicious-looking food, which Pam and Shane had already started pawing over. Before even thinking about heading over, Salem stopped by Pierre's store to see what exactly was different about what he would be selling today and felt her face light up at the sight of the strawberry seeds. Before she'd even made her way into the festival, she had spent just under half of her gold on seeds. 

"Salem!" Mayor Lewis called as he made his way over to here with a grin on his face. "I hope you're settling in well. How is everything on the farm?"

Salem smiled. "Pretty good actually," She told him. "I finally managed to fix that hole in my roof, so I'm not being rained on at night anymore at least," She joked.

Lewis chuckled. "You have your grandfather's sense of humor," He told her with a soft smile. "Will you be participating in the annual egg hunt today? If you are, just come and see me when you're ready and I'll explain how everything works. For now, I can see you eyeing up the buffet table, so go and get some breakfast and enjoy yourself," He told her cheerily, before walking back off to where Marnie was stood. 

Taking Lewis' advice, Salem strolled over to the buffet table and helped herself to a plateful of food, while making conversation with a handful of other members of the little Pelican Town community who she hadn't spoken to a lot yet. She had spoken to Shane once or twice, but she knew that he spent most of his time in the Saloon, or working at the Joja mart, and didn't want to bother him when he had some time to himself. It was nice to speak to him, despite his standoffish temperament, and he seemed happy to speak to her. Pam, who had managed to sneak several plates of food into her handbag, was a less pleasant conversation partner. It was clear from just speaking to her briefly that she had already been drinking, and the stench of alcohol on her breath made Salem's stomach churn. She very quickly made an excuse to leave the buffet table after eating. 

As she looked up, she could see Sebastian walking down the steps next to Pierre's stall. His hair stuck up in all directions, and he had heavy bags under his eyes as though he had just woken up. She let out a soft chuckle and waved at him subtly as their eyes met, gaining a shy smile and wave back from him before he joined Sam and Abigail near the river. It was only when her attention snapped away from him, that she realized that Robin had been trying to get her attention. Tentatively, she approached the red-haired woman. 

"Sorry, I didn't see you waving me over," Salem excused as she dusted the dirt off her jeans from where she had been sitting on the grass. Robin chuckled.

"Not to worry dear," She waved her hand. "I hope you don't mind, but I overheard part of your conversation with Lewis. Is it true that you had rain coming into your house? The roof was really that bad?" She asked, a concerned look in her eyes. Salem sighed. 

"Yeah, but I've got nowhere near enough money to even keep me fed and the farm going at the moment, never mind getting a house upgrade. It's probably going to take me until the winter to save up enough to get enough gold to just get the roof repaired properly," She admitted quietly. Robin gave her a sympathetic look and gently touched her shoulder. 

"How about this," She began quietly. "I'll come by once the festival is over and start getting some plans drawn up for the first house upgrade for you. I can't see you living in that place with a holey roof and no kitchen for any longer. Don't worry about paying me anything just yet - we can cross that bridge once you're on your feet properly... I just wanted to ask a favor of you in return," 

Salem narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "That depends on the favor," She told her quietly. Robin's eyes widened and she laughed softly. 

"I'm not asking you to kill anybody, Salem... Could we have a talk on the farm after the festival? I've got to go and rescue Pierre from Demetrius and his science talk... The poor man looks like he's about to cry," She excused herself. Salem chuckled and nodded as she watched Robin return to her husband. As the festival went on, Robin's words repeated over and over in her head. What could she possibly want from her?

Whatever it was, it couldn't end well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salem and Robin make a deal so that the construction of her house upgrade can finally get underway.
> 
> Sebastian has a surprise for his friends.

Robin's words at the egg festival echoed in her head throughout the egg hunt, and Salem felt a whole new level of anxiety about what the fiery-haired woman could want from her. Her mind tumbled into the state of overthinking that she had gotten used to, so much that she stumbled over in her search for the decorated eggs at the festival and lost the hunt by only 2 eggs, of course, to Abigail. Though the festival had been fun, Salem couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed by the number of people she had spoken to that day, and so when the festivities finally wrapped up, it was a huge relief. She spent the later hours of the festival with Sebastian, Sam, and Abigail, who were just as eager to leave as she was. Oddly, Sebastian barely spoke a word when she tried to make any conversation with him. Had she done something wrong?

The four of them had agreed to meet in the forest later in the evening. Sebastian had a surprise for everyone, but she had no idea what it could be. She agreed nonetheless, not wanting to sound rude or ungrateful for the invitation. First, though, she had something to do back on the farm. 

Salem headed home with her strawberry seeds and quickly planted them, then sat on the porch steps to wait for Robin to arrive. While she was waiting, she figured that it would be a good idea to calm her anxieties with her old reliable. From her pocket, she pulled her half-empty pack of cigarettes and took one out, holding it between her lips. She had lost count of the number of times people had told her how bad smoking was for her. It wasn't like she didn't know - she just didn't care all that much. For most of her life, she had followed every rule she had been given, never put a toe out of line, so naturally, the second she started to enjoy herself a little, her family had something to say about it. Especially her father. He just couldn't be happy for her no matter what she did in life. As she lit her cigarette, she realized that she hadn't even had a text from him since her big move to the Valley, and it had been almost 2 weeks. 

"You kids..." Robin muttered as she walked onto the farm. "You and my Sebastian are more alike than I thought," She joked.

Salem bit the inside of her cheek and forced an uncomfortable smile. "Are you gonna give me the mum talk or am I good for now?" She asked. Robin just chuckled and shook her head. 

"Not at all. You're both adults, I know that. It's completely up to you what you do with your lives," She assured her as she took a seat on the porch with her. "You've done a great job with this place so far Salem. You should be proud of yourself," 

Salem smiled slightly and stubbed her cigarette out in the ashtray she kept on the porch. "It's nothing compared to what my grandpa did with this space, but it's getting there slowly," She admitted. It had been a lot of hard work, and she had aches in parts of her body that she didn't even know had muscles to ache, but the farm was up and running. The two of them sat in peaceful silence for a moment as they took in the scenery of the newly cleared area of the farm. 

"So... About this house upgrade," Robin started. "I'm willing to start tomorrow if you can do me a huge favour," 

Salem swallowed nervously. "What is it?"

"You've met Sebastian," She started, looking down at her worn brown boots. "He's... Not exactly the best in social situations. He spends so much time holed up in his room, he hardly sleeps, and he stopped getting along with his sister and Demetrius a couple of years back... And I don't know what I can do to keep my family together..." 

Salem blinked. She had no idea that there could be anything complicated happening in such a tight-knit community. Robin seemed lost in her thoughts for a moment after she had finished speaking. Why was she sharing this with her? 

"I... I don't know how I can help with that Robin..." She admitted with a grimace. 

"Seb has never really had many friends... Sure, he has Sam and Abigail, but they're often distracted with their own lives when he needs to be with other people. I hate seeing him so... lost..." She muttered. Salem's eyes softened as she listened to the woman's words. "I saw you both sitting by the lake the other night. I think that was the first time I've seen my son smile in months," 

Without warning, Salem felt her cheeks heat up slightly. "I don't know what you're suggesting-"

"I'm not saying you have to do anything directly... Just... Keep an eye on Sebby for me will you?" She pleaded. "I'm worried about him... More than I have been in years..." 

Salem simply nodded. "Of course," She promised. "I'll do whatever I can," 

Robin smiled and gently pulled her into a hug. A proper, motherly hug. She returned the gesture without hesitation. 

* * *

  
"So what are we here for exactly?" Abigail complained as Sebastian led the group toward the southern side of the Cindersap forest. It was late and armed with only his torch from his phone, it was difficult to walk for long without tripping over a loose rock on the ground, or slipping on the slightly muddy ground beneath his feet. 

"I told you, I've got a surprise," He repeated for the third time since they had arrived in the forest. As much as he loved Abigail, it had been so frustrating to have to keep telling her to wait. She had always been impatient.

"It better be good, Seb. I've got my good shoes all muddy," Sam whined. Sebastian rolled his eyes. 

"I promise, it'll be worth it. Just a bit further," He assured them all. He carefully crossed the wooden bridge and smiled as they finally reached the abandoned building at the southernmost part of the forest. Turning to look at his friends' confused faces, he chucked. "Trust me, you'll be glad you came,"

  
"You brought us to an abandoned building?" Abigail asked. "Seb, you're not gonna try and kill us are you?"

  
"Just trust me," He pleaded, opening the door and heading inside. He'd spent hours making this place relatively habitable and was impressed with his work. Without the dirt and dust on the floor, and a few pieces of garden furniture, and old Christmas lights to keep the main room lit, it made the perfect spot for them to smoke together. 

  
"Wait... You did all this?" Sam asked in disbelief as he followed Sebastian inside. "Dude, this is awesome! No more camping out in the rain when we want to party," 

  
Sebastian smiled and turned the lights on, pulling up a chair at the small table he'd salvaged from Robin's workshop. "Exactly. Now c'mon, we've got shit to smoke and I'm not smoking alone again," 

  
Salem blinked as she walked inside, looking hesitant. Sebastian caught onto the distant look in her eyes as she closed the door behind them and slowly made her way toward the table. Abigail and Sam had already started to unpack their bags, dumping bottles and cans out onto the table along with Sebastian's smoking supplies. Maybe this was too much for her. 

"You okay girl?" Abigail asked before he had the chance. "You look like you've seen a ghost," 

"I'm fine," She assured her. "I just didn't expect a little town like this to have access to this. It just surprised me," 

Sebastian gave her a small smile. "I know a guy from the city," He stated simply. "Doesn't take me long to get there on my bike," 

The four of them talked quietly as Sebastian rolled up a joint for them all to share. His supply had yet to reach the last half, so he wasn't worried about running out just yet. Realising that there was now one extra member of their little stoner community, he passed the joint to Sam, then began rolling another. He'd been needing this all day. The egg festival was always a drag; for as long as he could remember, he'd despised having to socialise with the other members of the community to celebrate something he couldn't stand. 

It was only half-way into a joint that he voiced his thoughts. 

"Eggs suck," He declared. "Like, they stink. And they have this weird rubbery texture and they come from a chicken's ass," 

Sam snorted. "I'm pretty sure chickens don't shit eggs, Seb," He took another hit and let the spirals of smoke out through his lips before handing the joint on to Abigail. "Besides, you can't have real breakfast if you don't have fried eggs," 

Salem grimaced. "I agree with Seb," She stated. "Eggs are gross. And pancakes are the only acceptable breakfast food other than toast," 

Sebastian couldn't help but smile as he listened to them bicker. Somehow, their little band of misfits had grown by one more, and as unexpected as it was, he felt a sense of relief. Salem did fit in here in Pelican town. 

He only wished that his mind could just focus on being her friend and not on how her jeans hugged her figure perfectly. Or how her hair fell into her eyes when she laughed, or the way her smile lit up the room. He mentally kicked himself for letting his mind stray again. She wouldn't be interested in him if he was the last man alive; he was sure of that. She could do way better than a deadbeat stoner with no college education and a fucked up family life.   
Before he knew it, Salem was standing from her seat.

"I should probably head back," She sighed after an hour or so. He couldn't help but feel his face fall at her words. "I have to be up at 6 am,"

  
Sam nudged him as he blinked back to reality. "Seb can walk you back, save you getting eaten by raccoons or something," 

  
Sebastian paused, then felt his eyes widen in the realisation of what Sam was trying to do. He knew. He had to. The only time he'd ever tried to play wingman before was during their nights out in the city, and it felt like years since even that happened. Tentatively, he glanced over at Salem, only to find her looking back at him with a sweet smile. 

  
"Yeah, the raccoons around here kidnapped my little brother," He justified without thinking. 

  
"Seb you don't have a brother," Abigail reminded him, looking confused. 

  
He shook his head grimly. "Not anymore," 

There was a brief moment of silence before the four of them burst into another fit of laughter.

And it felt like he'd blinked and missed when Abigail and Sam left them alone in the woods with only each other's company. They walked slowly through the trees in silence, just listening to the sounds of the forest in the peaceful quiet of the night. Shoving his hands into the pocket of his jeans, Sebastian dragged his feet through the ankle-length grass, regretting his choice of shoes all of a sudden as he felt the dew soak through his converse and drench his feet. He sighed. 

"You don't talk much do you?" Salem asked him. She wore a thoughtful expression, her eyes focused on the clear night sky. 

"I don't like to annoy people," He admitted. "I always talked so much shit as a kid that people just used to avoid me," He joked. 

She let out a soft laugh, then stopped walking as they reached the gate to the path which led to the farm. "You don't annoy me," 

Sebastian had never felt so thankful for the darkness of the forest than he did right at that moment. His face heated up at her words and he could do nothing but will away the blush which spread across his cheeks. For some reason, Salem got to him, and he couldn't figure out whether he liked it or not. 

"Really?" He asked in disbelief. 

"I wouldn't lie to you," She promised. "Besides, talking shit is my favourite hobby," 

As the pair walked through the farm, Sebastian looked around at the changes Salem had made to the previously abandoned farm. Most of the fields had been cleared, apart from a large patch in the corner just left of the path to the mountains. There were several crop fields filled, with neat wooden pathways between them, and some stone braziers lighting their way toward the farmhouse. Despite only being in Pelican town for a couple of weeks, she had accomplished much more than he had expected she would. 

"Wow," He muttered unconsciously. Salem let out a small chuckle.

"Okay, it's not that impressive," She waved her hand dismissively.

He shook his head. "You've done so much," He noted, looking around in awe. "This place looks better than I've seen it in years. Don't sell yourself short," 

"Well, I've not had much to do other than work for 2 weeks. It beats being behind a desk being ordered around by some overly spray-tanned asshole with a god complex," She joked. Sebastian snorted. "But it's been nice to get out of the city. I think I needed it more than I thought I did," 

He walked her to her door and smiled. "If this place is where you belong, then nobody can stop you from being here," With a sigh, he glanced at the path. "This hike is the worst. I should have brought my bike with me," He mused. 

Salem pursed her lips, then spoke quietly. "You could crash here if you want. I mean, if you can't face the walk," Sebastian looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "I have a pretty comfortable sofa bed," 

With a small smile, he nodded. "I might take you up on that," 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Salem discuss their deal so that construction of Salem's house upgrade can begin.
> 
> Sebastian has a surprise for his friends after the dreaded egg festival.

Robin's words at the egg festival echoed in her head throughout the egg hunt, and Salem felt a whole new level of anxiety about what the fiery-haired woman could want from her. Her mind tumbled into the state of overthinking that she had gotten so used to, so much that she stumbled over in her search for the decorated eggs at the festival and lost the hunt by only 2 eggs, of course, to Abigail. Though the festival had been fun, Salem couldn't help but feel slightly overwhelmed by the number of people she had spoken to that day, and so when the festivities finally wrapped up, it was a huge relief. She spent the later hours of the festival with Sebastian, Sam, and Abigail, who were just as eager to leave as she was. Oddly, Sebastian barely spoke a word when she tried to make any conversation with him. Had she done something wrong?

The four of them had agreed to meet in the forest later in the evening. Sebastian had a surprise for everyone, but she had no idea what it could be. She agreed nonetheless, not wanting to sound rude or ungrateful for the invitation. First, though, she had something to do back on the farm. 

Salem headed home with her strawberry seeds and quickly planted them, then sat on the porch steps to wait for Robin to arrive. While she was waiting, she figured that it would be a good idea to calm her anxieties with her old reliable. From her pocket, she pulled her half-empty pack of cigarettes and took one out, holding it between her lips. She had lost count of the number of times people had told her how bad smoking was for her. It wasn't like she didn't know - she just didn't care all that much. For most of her life, she had followed every rule she had been given, never put a toe out of line, so naturally, the second she started to enjoy herself a little, her family had something to say about it. Especially her father. He just couldn't be happy for her no matter what she did in life. As she lit her cigarette, she realized that she hadn't even had a text from him since her big move to the Valley, and it had been almost 2 weeks. 

"You kids..." Robin muttered as she walked onto the farm. "You and my Sebastian are more alike than I thought," She joked.

Salem bit the inside of her cheek and forced an uncomfortable smile. "Are you gonna give me the mum talk or am I good for now?" She asked. Robin just chuckled and shook her head. 

"Not at all. You're both adults, I know that. It's completely up to you what you do with your lives," She assured her as she took a seat on the porch with her. "You've done a great job with this place so far Salem. You should be proud of yourself," 

Salem smiled slightly and stubbed her cigarette out in the ashtray she kept on the porch. "It's nothing compared to what my grandpa did with this space, but it's getting there slowly," She admitted. It had been a lot of hard work, and she had aches in parts of her body that she didn't even know had muscles to ache, but the farm was up and running. The two of them sat in peaceful silence for a moment as they took in the scenery of the newly cleared area of the farm. 

"So... About this house upgrade," Robin started. "I'm willing to start tomorrow if you can do me a huge favour," 

Salem swallowed nervously. "What is it?"

"You've met Sebastian," She started, looking down at her worn brown boots. "He's... Not exactly the best in social situations. He spends so much time holed up in his room, he hardly sleeps, and he stopped getting along with his sister and Demetrius a couple of years back... And I don't know what I can do to keep my family together..." 

Salem blinked. She had no idea that there could be anything complicated happening in such

a tight-knit community. Robin seemed lost in her thoughts for a moment after she had finished speaking. Why was she sharing this with her? 

"I... I don't know how I can help with that Robin..." She admitted with a grimace. 

"Seb has never really had many friends... Sure, he has Sam and Abigail, but they're often distracted with their own lives when he needs to be with other people. I hate seeing him so... lost..." She muttered. Salem's eyes softened as she listened to the woman's words. "I saw you both sitting by the lake the other night. I think that was the first time I've seen my son smile in months," 

Without warning, Salem felt her cheeks heat up slightly. "I don't know what you're suggesting-"

"I'm not saying you have to do anything directly... Just... Keep an eye on Sebby for me will you?" She pleaded. "I'm worried about him... Worried..." 

Salem simply nodded. "Of course," She promised. "I'll do whatever I can," 

Robin smiled and gently pulled her into a hug. A proper, motherly hug. She returned the gesture without hesitation. 

* * *

  
"So what are we here for exactly?" Abigail complained as Sebastian led the group toward the southern side of the Cindersap forest. It was late and armed with only his torch from his phone, it was difficult to walk for long without tripping over a loose rock on the ground, or slipping on the slightly muddy ground beneath his feet. 

"I told you, I've got a surprise," He repeated for the third time since they had arrived in the forest. As much as he loved Abigail, it had been so frustrating to have to keep telling her to wait. 

"It better be good, Seb. I've got my good shoes all muddy," Sam whined. Sebastian rolled his eyes. 

"I promise, it'll be worth it. Just a bit further," He assured them all. He carefully crossed the wooden bridge and smiled as they finally reached the abandoned building at the southernmost part of the forest. Turning to look at his friends' confused faces, he chucked. "Trust me, you'll be glad you came,"

  
"You brought us to an abandoned building?" Abigail asked. "Seb, you're not gonna try and kill us are you?"

  
"Just trust me," He pleaded, opening the door and heading inside. He'd spent hours making this place relatively habitable and was impressed with his work. Without the dirt and dust on the floor, and a few pieces of garden furniture, and old Christmas lights to keep the main room lit, it made the perfect spot for them to smoke together. 

  
"Wait... You did all this?" Sam asked in disbelief as he followed Sebastian inside. "Dude, this is awesome! No more camping out in the rain when we want to party," 

  
Sebastian smiled and turned the lights on, pulling up a chair at the small table he'd salvaged from Robin's workshop. "Exactly. Now c'mon, we've got shit to smoke and I'm not smoking alone again," 

  
Salem blinked as she walked inside, looking hesitant. Sebastian caught onto the distant look in her eyes as she closed the door behind them and slowly made her way toward the table. Abigail and Sam had already started to unpack their bags, dumping bottles and cans out onto the table along with Sebastian's smoking supplies. Maybe this was too much for her. 

"You okay girl?" Abigail asked before he had the chance. "You look like you've seen a ghost," 

"I'm fine," She assured her. "I just didn't expect a little town like this to have access to this. It just surprised me," 

Sebastian gave her a small smile. "I know a guy from the city," He stated simply. "Doesn't take me long to get there on my bike," 

The four of them talked quietly as Sebastian rolled up a joint for them all to share. His supply had yet to reach the last half, so he wasn't worried about running out just yet. Realising that there was now one extra member of their little stoner community, he passed the joint to Sam, then began rolling another. He'd been needing this all day. The egg festival was always a drag; for as long as he could remember, he'd despised having to socialise with the other members of the community to celebrate something he couldn't stand. 

It was only half-way into a joint that he voiced his thoughts. 

"Eggs suck," He declared. "Like, they stink. And they have this weird rubbery texture and they come from a chicken's ass," 

Sam snorted. "I'm pretty sure chickens don't shit eggs, Seb," He took another hit and let the spirals of smoke out through his lips before handing the joint on to Abigail. "Besides, you can't have real breakfast if you don't have fried eggs," 

Salem grimaced. "I agree with Seb," She stated. "Eggs are gross. And pancakes are the only acceptable breakfast food other than toast," 

Sebastian couldn't help but smile as he listened to them bicker. Somehow, their little band of misfits had grown by one more, and as unexpected as it was, he felt a sense of relief. Salem did fit in here in Pelican town. 

He only wished that his mind could just focus on being her friend and not on how her jeans hugged her figure perfectly. Or how her hair fell into her eyes when she laughed, or the way her smile lit up the room. He mentally kicked himself for letting his mind stray again. She wouldn't be interested in him if he was the last man alive; he was sure of that. She could do way better than a deadbeat stoner with no college education and a fucked up family life.   
Before he knew it, Salem was standing from her seat.

"I should probably head back," She sighed. He couldn't help but feel his face fall at her words. "I have to be up at 6 am,"

  
Sam nudged him as he blinked back to reality. "Seb can walk you back, save you getting eaten by raccoons or something," 

  
Sebastian paused, then felt his eyes widen in the realisation of what Sam was trying to do. He knew. He had to. The only time he'd ever tried to play wingman before was during their nights out in the city, and it felt like years since even that happened. Tentatively, he glanced over at Salem, only to find her looking back at him with a sweet smile. 

  
"Yeah, the raccoons around here kidnapped my little brother," He justified without thinking. 

  
"Seb you don't have a brother," Abigail reminded him, looking confused. 

  
He shook his head grimly. "Not anymore," 

There was a brief moment of silence before the four of them burst into another fit of laughter.

And it felt like he'd blinked and missed when Abigail and Sam left them alone in the woods with only each other's company. They walked slowly through the trees in silence, just listening to the sounds of the forest in the peaceful quiet of the night. Shoving his hands into the pocket of his jeans, Sebastian dragged his feet through the ankle-length grass, regretting his choice of shoes all of a sudden as he felt the dew soak through his converse and drench his feet. He sighed. 

"You don't talk much do you?" Salem asked him. She wore a thoughtful expression, her eyes focused on the clear night sky. 

"I don't like to annoy people," He admitted. "I always talked so much shit as a kid that people just used to avoid me," He joked. 

She let out a soft laugh, then stopped walking as they reached the gate to the path which led to the farm. "You don't annoy me," 

Sebastian had never felt so thankful for the darkness of the forest than he did right at that moment. His face heated up at her words and he could do nothing but will away the blush which spread across his cheeks. For some reason, Salem got to him, and he couldn't figure out whether he liked it or not. 

"Really?" He asked in disbelief. 

"I wouldn't lie to you," She promised. "Besides, talking shit is my favourite hobby," 

As the pair walked through the farm, Sebastian looked around at the changes Salem had made to the previously abandoned farm. Most of the fields had been cleared, apart from a large patch in the corner just left of the path to the mountains. There were several crop fields filled, with neat wooden pathways between them, and some stone braziers lighting their way toward the farmhouse. Despite only being in Pelican town for a couple of weeks, she had accomplished much more than he had expected she would. Maybe she really was destined for this life. Some people just belonged in places like Stardew Valley, and Salem was definitely one of them

"Wow," He muttered unconsciously. Salem let out a small chuckle.

"Okay, it's not that impressive," She waved her hand dismissively.

He shook his head. "You've done so much," He noted, looking around in awe. "This place looks better than I've seen it in years. Don't sell yourself short," 

"Well, I've not had much to do other than work for 2 weeks. It beats being behind a desk being ordered around by some overly spray-tanned asshole with a god complex," She joked. Sebastian snorted. "But it's been nice to get out of the city. I think I needed it more than I thought I did," 

He walked her to her door and smiled. "If this place is where you belong, then nobody can stop you from being here," With a sigh, he glanced at the path and groaned at the thought of making his way up the mountain path in the dark. He'd definitely fall over something or bump into Linus and manage to scare himself within an inch of his life. "This hike is the worst. I should have brought my bike with me," He thought aloud, not expecting any response. 

Salem pursed her lips, then spoke quietly. "You could crash here if you want. I mean, if you can't face the walk," Sebastian looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "I have a pretty comfortable sofa bed," She added quickly. Her cheeks were slightly pink, probably from the chill in the midnight air. Staying away from home would at least solve the problem of Demetrius complaining about the smell of weed in the house again, and probably save him an argument tomorrow.

With a small smile, he nodded. "I might take you up on that," He muttered. "A sofa bed sounds great right now,"


End file.
